Sky Blue Eyes, The Colour of My Tears
by InfamousMissFitz
Summary: Cloud Will do anything for Zack to return. So what happens when he does? How will Zack adjust to all those years that he has missed?  Slightly zackxcloud or cloudxzack
1. Chapter 1

**HEEEEY. New here. first story EVA. This is slightly zackxcloud or cloudxzack.**

**I will continue chapters. In this story Zack returns, but unlike the others on which are all really sad D:! This is gonna be differente! :D**

**CYAS**

**X**

He stood upon that all too familiar bluff, the dry wind mildly tossing his golden hair, as he faced the yellow flowers that grew before him.

_Zack..._

Cloud's eyes became distant as that name returned to him. It had been three years since his best friend's death and Cloud counted everyday.

"Why, Zack?" he asked the open plain before him, "why did you have to go and die? Couldn't you be selfish for once?"

Cloud shook his head, _You'll be...my living legacy..._

What would Cloud do to bring him back? Anything? No.

_Everything._

_I never got to bury him..._

Cloud's mind wandered back to the same place three years ago, as a young boy of sixteen tirelessly dragged the Buster Sword behind him, his friends last wishes on his mind.

"I said I'd live out both our lives", he spoke to the flowers, "easy to make that promise". His blue eyes filled with pain. He could still feel Zack ruffle his hair affectionately before meeting a certain death.

"_Let him go, Cloud!"_ Tifa had screamed passionately, "_He's gone and you can't bring him back!"_

But how we wished he could.


	2. Chapter 2

Fenrir roared, throwing up dust as Cloud returned to Midgar, his mind miles away. The wind rushed through his spiked hair, as he accelerated.

_Zack._

The name taunted him, tortured him, and enclosed him.

_Zack Fair._

Memories haunted his wanna-be-normal thoughts, as the wound in his heart reopened again.  
_Why couldn't you save yourself? _

Cloud sighed, his straight face never betraying his emotions, or the turmoil that hid within. As he drove, his phone began to ring. Cloud flicked it open, and heard a sigh at the other end.  
"Hello?" He asked

"Cloud!" He could hear Tifa splutter, "You never answer the phone!"

Cloud almost sighed again, but was interrupted as Tifa pulled herself together, "We need you back here, Cloud, we've got something to show you".

"We?" Cloud asked.

"Our friends" Tifa answered, sounding slightly impatient, and her voice riddled with excitement.

"Tell me where" Cloud stated, nearing Midgar.

Cloud stood before the door of an old AVALANCHE hideout, and opened it. The house was seemingly ancient, the insides panelled with wood, and a half-working chandelier as a light source as he stepped inside the entrance hall.

His eyes wandered the room, inspecting the large mass of doors which lead to corridors, which lead to more doors.

"Tifa?" Cloud shouted, his voice echoing through the abandoned house.

"Here Cloud," she said, coming down some stairs, which wound their way around the entrance hall. Her eyes drifted to his shoulder and she frowned.  
"You brought a weapon with you" she stated, his perfect face distorted as he eyebrows furrowed together.

Cloud glanced down at one of the Fusion Swords hanging lightly from his back. He didn't even remember putting it there; it was already instinct to him.  
"Sorry", he muttered to his feet, wondering how this would ever affect Tifa.

She crossed her arms, "He's gone Cloud, you defeated him", she said, meaning Sephiroth. Cloud said nothing, but Tifa continued, "come up, we'd like to show you something".

Cloud followed Tifa through an endless maze of corridors and rooms, through all different floors and wings of the house, completely oblivious of where in the mansion he was. Finally, up another set of stairs, and through a last corridor, Cloud heard those familiar voices talking. 

He smiled to himself briefly as he could hear Yuffie's high persistent chatter contrast with Vincent's low grumbling. Cid, Barret and Cait Sith were talking together, and he could hear Red XII discuss something with a different voice.

_No. _

A similar voice.

_No._

_That_ voice.

Cloud strode into the room, and found him sitting upon a bed pushed up against the wall, his face tinged with pure confusion. The others looked up at Cloud and Tifa's arrival, and slowly shuffled out of the room, Tifa with them, making excuses and mumbling to themselves as Cloud's eyes widened with shock.

"_Z..Zack..."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Oh mai wasn't that dramatic XD**

**Well, hope you guys enjoy this! If anyone is actually reading it at all D: I'msonotcool xDD**

Cloud's normally emotionless face was now distorted into surprise, like a blank canvas having paint thrust upon it. His eyes widened as he stared at the raven haired man that sat before him, stunned.

"_Zack.." _ He said again, his voice so low, it was almost inaudible.

Zack looked up, those Mako blue eyes staring back into Cloud's. He was perched on the edge of the small bunk, legs apart, and hands either side of him, to hold him steady.

"Cloud" he spoke, and Cloud almost closed his eyes. That voice, he hadn't heard it since that day. He said his name as he always had-like Zack had only said it for the first time.

Cloud dared not to move, in case Zack might suddenly disappear, leaving Cloud on that bluff again, only wishing of what would happen. Instead, he studied his dead friend.

Zack was exactly like he had left him. He still wore a SOLDIER uniform, although this one was clean, and Cloud wondered how Zack managed to obtain one of those, being dead and all. The cut on his cheek, the one that Zack had received a while before his death, now looked like an old, worn out scar.

The two stayed that way, studying each other for another ten minutes. Not a word passed between them until Zack finally spoke.

"C'mon Cloud," he said, a smile creeping onto his face, "we can't do this forever".

"Zack," Cloud simply stated, "You're dead".

"No", Zack replied, shaking his head.

"Then...I'm dead..?"

Zack shook his head again. "I don't think so".

Tifa suddenly appeared, on cue, along with the others, who had obviously been listening.

"Cloud..." She said, reproachfully, "We need to explain something".  
Cloud merely nodded, not keeping his eyes off Zack. He sat down next to him on the bed, now looking up at the dark haired girl.

"Yes Tifa?"

"You see, Cloud," Vincent started, stepping forward, "Zack's body was found by a contact of mine."

When Cloud didn't respond, Vincent continued, "Being a first-class SOLDIER, Zack's body is very strong, and can sustain multiple injuries which would be fatal to an ordinary human being. When Zack's body was found, it was still in a salvageable state. But there was one problem".

Vincent's low dark voice finished, "A...a part of him was gone".

Cloud raised his head, taking a quick sideways glance at Zack, "What was?" he asked wearily, to him, he was still unconscious somewhere on that cliff overlooking Midgar, dreaming all of this up.

"His soul".

What then became a discussion for hours, Vincent and the others explained how for some reason, Zack's soul had returned to his body-the cause of this , they presumed, was Aerith. Of course, at that time, Vincent had no idea of Zack's connection with Cloud until yesterday, during which he had contacted the others.

"We heard about him from you," Yuffie had explained, "and so Vincent and I put two and two together".

Cloud looked over to his best friend, who had been silent all the time. Not the loud, upbeat, chatty Zack he knew.

"Does...does he know..?" Cloud asked, "About Aeri-"

"No" Tifa suddenly snapped quickly, and then shook her head, "no. But he is up to date on everything else".

Cloud suddenly realised that Zack must hate how they were speaking as if he wasn't there.

"Sorry Zack," He said softly, "its not that we're ignoring you it's just that, this is a strange concept to all of us...especially me".

Zack looked up from the floor and flashed Cloud a grin. "It's okay Spikey!", he beamed.

"I'll tell him," Cloud mouthed to the others.

The two ex-SOLDIERS walked through the isle of the old church, their boots loud on the unstable floorboards. There, amongst the golden flowers, stood the Buster Sword, in a condition that could only match that of being unused.

Zack's eyes softened, as he remembered all the memories he'd had in this church. But he was out of tears now, and he knew Aerith was somewhere special.

"I...I kept it for you", Cloud said quietly, suddenly feeling shy.

Zack walked towards the large sword, and placed both hands on the handle, his mind years back to when he had first received it. Pulling it gently out of its position of impaling the earth, Zack put it across his shoulder, back to where it belonged.

He smiled at Cloud, the sunbeams casting an even more golden glow to his friend's hair. He stepped forward and suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace, his thick muscular arms holding him.

"Thank you", he whispered softly over his shoulder, "Thank you, Cloud".


	4. Chapter 4

**I dunt own anything peoples! Apart from the storyline, which is only, like half mine xD rest belongs to the awesome people at Square Enix!^^ Hope you guys enjoy! ...If anyone actually reads this xD **

**This is going to be the last chapter, unless anyone would like me to continue. If I do continue, then in that I will put a bit more ZackxCloud. A warning though, it won't be hugely Yaoi, just some hints of it.**

**~InfamousMissFitz**

He stood upon that bluff, just like he had not so long ago, staring silently at the golden flowers that grew there. The golden sun was just setting, soon to leave him in utter darkness, giving him the privacy to contemplate his memories.

But this time he wasn't alone.

The two stood in companionable silence, watching the red sun set just behind Midgar.

"So this is where I..." Zack said, breaking their thoughtful moment of peace.

Cloud nodded, his mind far away. "Yeah", he replied.

"This is where you always go?"

"Everyday".

"...For me...?"

Cloud nodded once more. His blank face did not betray the complete shyness that he felt, over his best friend discovering his daily mourning routine. But eventually, the low voiced man spoke up.

"Could you ever hear me..?" Cloud asked, trying to hide his worry.

"_Zack why did you go! Why did you have to be so unselfish?"_

"_I told you I'd live out both our lives, easy to make that promise"_

"_Zack...If you could ever come back..."_

"_Zack! Can you hear me? I need you!"_

"_This isn't a grave. It's where a great hero started his journey"_

"_I...am your living legacy..."_

Zack had heard. And lied.

"No Cloud...I wish I could".

He could almost hear his younger friend breathe a sigh of relief. He supposed some things were just better left unsaid. Cloud was still Cloud, and Zack never wanted to change him.

Cloud flashed his friend one of his rare, genuine smiles. His blue eyes glowed with pure happiness, and had never felt so peaceful before.

Zack found himself staring at the changes his friend had taken during his absence. He was no longer that young boy with big dreams of becoming a SOLDIER. He was a man.

"You've changed", he stated, his mako blue eyes studying his friend.

"I..I have..?" Cloud asked worriedly, would Zack prefer him as he was before?

"No", Zack shook his head and just smiled, "You haven't changed at all. You've grown. And that's all that can be expected".

Cloud smiled, slightly embarrassed, but glad to be in his best friend's company.

"Cloud...?" Zack asked suddenly.

"Yeah Zack?"

"Thanks"

"For what?" Cloud looked up from the flowers to his friend now.

"For never giving up on me. For trying your hardest."

Cloud flashed him a grin. "You're welcome buddy", he chuckled to himself, "You're just pissed because I'm a better Living Legacy than you would ever be!"

Zack snorted. "Oh really?" he asked, wrapping a muscular arm around Cloud's neck, getting him into a headlock.

"Yeah, really", Cloud said cockily, and Zack released him.

There was a blissful pause.

"What would I do without you, Spike?"

"I dunno", Cloud said, smirking, "What have you been doing for the last three years?"

Zack grinned, "Sleeping", he answered.

Cloud snorted. "Yeah," he chuckled, "The only thing you've ever been good at".

The two smiled at each other, as Zack laid an arm around Cloud's shoulder, glad that his blonde friend had grown out of his immense fear of being touched by other people.

"As for I," Cloud continued, "Have been battling _four _men with silver hair, and saving the planet".

"Yeah", Zack said, smiling, his blue eyes twinkling, "The only thing _you've_ ever been good at"

"But I had help".

_You already beat him a first time right? This should be a synch._

"From who?" Zack asked, acting oblivious to the support his mere presence had given his friend during that fight.

He could see his best friend smile to himself, "An old friend of mine".

The two stood, arms over the other's shoulder, their eyes gazing at the red ball of fire disappear just over the horizon, a light breeze running through their hair. Although the two were completely different in height and stature, they had matching smiles upon their faces, and both felt a feeling of complete peace.

"_You see? Everything's...alright"._

_I know. I'm not alone_

_Not anymore._

**I tried to recreate a bit of the feeling people might of received watching the end scene of Advent Children. If you read the last part whilst listening to "Cloud Smiles", you kinda get it a bit better xD**

**Well I hope this isn't the last you'll see of me!**

**~Infamous**

**X**


	5. Chapter 5

**Heeeey! I'm baaacck, And I'm continueing this story! So keep up with it :D**

**I know you might get a little confused but all shalt be revealed! :D**

**X**

Blonde and black, Cloud and Zack sat upon the front bench of Aerith's Chapel, their eyes cast on the golden and white flowers that grew before them. The sun streamed in though the hole in the ceiling as the two sat in a thoughtful silence.

Cloud's eyes drifted towards his friend. Zack had been acting strange lately. He seems almost _clingy_ never wanting Cloud out of his sight. The fact that the two spent almost every day together wasn't enough for him. Zack was always with Cloud. Not that Cloud minded-he didn't. But this was on the verge of being too strange. This wasn't Zack.

Bringing his gaze back to the flowers, Cloud spoke up, his low voice piercing the silence.

"Zack...How long do you have...?"

His best friend raised his raven-haired head, his blue eyes surveying Cloud. "What do you mean?"

Cloud snorted angrily. "Don't lie to me Zack. Cut the pretence already and answer my question! ..Have?"

Zack sighed, his eyes suddenly clouded, misty with confusion.

"I...I don't know...I don't even know why I'm here..."

"I knew it was too good to be true", the blonde stood up roughly and stalked out of the chapel.

* * *

Cloud was awoken by the sun's beams streaming through his window. Getting dressed, he jogged down the stairs of his and Zack's newly shared apartment.

"Zack...? You up yet?" Cloud shouted up the stairs, in the direction of the room opposite his own.

There was an uncharacteristic silence.

"Zack?"

Cloud ran up the stairs, and strode through the open door. Rushing to his bed, Cloud picked up the folded piece of paper that laid there.

_Cloud._

I_ have to go away. Figure out who I am. Even what I am. And remember, like I always say; embrace your dreams, and whatever happens protect your honour. Now it's my chance to find out what honour I really have. And so, I leave you. I'll try not to be gone long._

_Scratch that, I don't know how long I'll be gone._

_Zack._

Cloud read the note over and over, his blue eyes attempting to decode the illegible scrawl, and what was underneath those thick black lines.

_NO. Not again. _

Cloud rushed outside, jumping onto Fenrir, engine roaring as he sped through the streets of Midgar.

There was only one place Zack could be.

* * *

As Cloud left the city behind him, he spotted the familiar blue motorcycle parked just beneath the cliff. Cloud muttered an obscenity under his breath. That bluff.

_Everything came back to that bluff._

Almost throwing himself off Fenrir, Cloud sprinted up the hill, ripping his goggles off and throwing them behind him.

"ZACK!"

The dark figure that stood facing the view of Midgar raised its head.

"...Cloud? Why are you here? I thought I said..."

But Cloud at this time was a force of nature, his blue eyes flaring like sapphire flames, he stood before his friend.

"I'm sick of this, Zack, Sick of it! Why do you always have to be the goddamn hero and leave! You think you've had it so tough! Look around you! Do you know what it's like living for so many years without your best friend? Do you know what it's like?" Cloud's expression could only be matched to a storm in full rage.

Zack opened his mouth and shut it again, speechless. He had never seen Cloud like this before.

"Zack, don't you get it? I'm a wreck without you! I need you! I..." Cloud lowered his head, those light blond bangs obscuring his face.

"You...you what?" Zack asked softly, in an attempt to finish Cloud's speech.

Gritting his teeth, the younger blonde's shoulders shook.

"I...I can't live without you..."

Zack stood frozen to the dusty desert ground.

"W...What?"

Cloud looked up, tears threatening to spill over his eyes.

"I can't live without you!" he shouted, clenching a gloved fist.

Zack raised his head to the sky, smiling to himself, as he closed his eyes. A fufiled expression conquered his features.

Cloud's eyes widened as he heard the ripping of clothing, two grey feathered wings unfurling from Zack's shoulders.

"Z...Zack..?"

His friend looked so familiar, as if those beautiful wings had always been there. It was like they suited him. Cloud's eyes studied the short fluffy feathers at the top lead down to those long powerful ones.

Zack spread his wings further, as a heavy rain suddenly poured upon the dry, thirsty desert ground. His eyes shot open at the sudden downpour, then a knowing smile spread across his face.

"Thank you, Aerith".

"..Zack?"

Zack turned to face him, the rain dripping from those soaked through grey wings. He opened his mouth to speak but Cloud interupted him.

"Zack...You're going to..?" _Leave me? _Were the words Cloud wanted to add to the end.

"Cloud", Zack said, turning fully around, _"You'll always have a guardian angel. Just this time, you'll recognise him"._

"So you're going...?" Cloud made himself speak the question that had been in his mind all day.

Zack's eyes turned to a look of hurt, then they hardened like ice.

"Cloud I would never do such a thing to you again".


	6. Chapter 6

"Zack, I never knew you could cook", Cloud mumbled appreciatively, still half asleep. His golden hair's shape matched to that of a bird's nest as he tapped the wooden kitchen counter top he was sitting on.

"Well I guess that's just because you've never had the chance to try my cuisine".

"Or maybe because I didn't want to get the runs", Cloud replied flatly.

Zack rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his black hair. Pulling the instructions for the new oven out of his jeans pocket, he caught the toast which was popping out of the toaster with the other hand.

"Hurry up" Cloud complained, rubbing his blue eyes, clearly not a morning person. Whereas Zack, on the other hand, sung and whistled as he worked, wide awake.

"Shut up Spikey" Zack ordered gently, stirring the scrambled eggs, "You're sitting on my work surface".

"Well excuse me, it's not my fault we haven't bought most of the furniture yet".

Zack mock sighed, and plonked a plate full of breakfast in front of Cloud, who was now eagerly sitting at the table. But Cloud could still not get used to the sight of Zack turning around.

In almost every top he had, there were rips and holes where his wings came out. Ever since he had suddenly received them, Zack hadn't gained full control of them yet, and they usually ripped through his shirts randomly during the day. Hence why they dare not go out in public and buy furniture.

But it wasn't his shirts that bothered Cloud. It was what was underneath them. Because of his wings tearing through, the skin where they grew became damaged and thin, leaving Zack with two identical scars upon his shoulder blades.

"Zack...?"

"Yeah Spike?"

"Do they...Do they hurt when they come out?"

Zack noticed Cloud staring at the large marks on his shoulders and smiled reassuringly.

"Course not", he lied.

"Zack". Cloud glared at him now, those blue eyes seeing right through his.

"Okay, okay, maybe a little".

The two ate in silence; the only sounds were of the cutlery crashing against plates. Their relationship was odd like that. Full of silences. Some thoughtful, some companionable, and some...just silent.

Zack stood up, placing his plate next to the sink.

Suddenly, Cloud spoke up on what had been bothering him for the past few days.

"Zack?"

"Mhhm?"

"What are we..?" Cloud had asked casually, as if discussing something of lesser importance.

Zack froze, eyes widened, but glad his back was to Cloud.

"What do you mean?"

Cloud turned away as well, his breakfast suddenly becoming extremely interesting.

"I mean...Are we friends or what?"

Zack cringed, grateful for the blush on his face being hidden by having his back to his friend.

"Uh Cloud..." Zack didn't know what to say. What were they exactly?

_"I can't live without you!"_

Had he really said that?

_"Zack, don't you get it? I'm a wreck without you! I need you!"_

"So? What are we?"

Zack turned around, about to say something. He took a sharp intake of breath as he found Cloud's face inches away from his.

"Cloud...?"

"Zack..." Cloud said his breath warm on his face, "I need to know..."

Zack's sky blue eyes widened, as he could feel his face growing hot.

"Cloud...I..."

**BWAHAHA. YOU HATE MEH DONCHA? XDDD**


	7. Chapter 7

**SORREH. I DID say I would update...so here I AM. Updating. Bwah. And the cliffhanger continuesss.**

"Cloud...I..."

Cloud turned away suddenly, masking his expression from a dumbfounded and blushing Zack. The raven haired man could see his fist clench and unclench as he spoke.

"Nevermind", he said quietly, tipping his head to look at the ceiling, "It doesn't matter".

The day dragged on like time was dragging a bus behind it. Very slowly. Filled with awkward silences, and monosyllabic conversations, the two managed to physically and mentally avoid each other throughout the day.

Zack stood in his room, sun beams drifting in through the window, casting light on his pure white wings. There was something about the rare summers in Midgar, they just made him happier. Concentrating hard, his wings suddenly disintegrated from his shoulders, blowing away in a pure white combination of what looked like feathers and dust. Twisting his head around, Zack turned around to see that they were gone.

"YES! Hey Cloud! Come here and check this out-" Zack stopped. His shoulders sagged slightly as he ran a hand through his hair. Suddenly, a smile flickered slightly across his features.

Climbing lithely onto the windowsill, Zack crouched on the edge of the fifth storey, smiling to himself.

And then he dropped.

It was reckless, he may or may not have mastered using his wings, but Zack did it, and when they erupted smoothly from his shoulders, he couldn't help but laugh to himself. Soaring upwards, almost parallel to the vertical building opposite him, Zack knew there could only be one place where he could find his troubled friend, and sort out the awkwardness.

A burst of pain in his left wing soon broke his mood. The pain was unbearable, causing Zack to land untidily on the bridge which crossed from two buildings. In his hurry, Zack knocked over the Angel Of Midgar statue, causing the marble to fall and crash upon the street below.

_Shit._

"Hey! There he is!" Just as Zack took to the air again, more bullets joined the one embedded in his wing, although some just shot straight through.

_Come on, come on..._ Zack just needed to get out of there. As far away from danger as possible. Heading straight for the desert, he only felt heavier and heavier, and he could see blood spattering onto the street below.

A flash of black, white and blonde. The ring of metal upon metal. The whistle of a bullet bouncing off a sword. A cry of pain. Turning around, Zack landed on the bridge again, needing to be high up to find what just disposed of his attackers.

"You Okay?"

Blonde. Blue met blue.

"Cloud...you-" Zack found himself staring at the beautiful white wings sprouting from his friend's shoulders.

"Yeah...I know", his soft deep voice immediately made Zack feel safer.

"How?" Standing atop a bridge, a street below, the two winged men and ex-Shinra felt completely and oddly at ease.

Cloud shrugged, and offered Zack a laid back smile. "Aerith".

Zack grinned. "Who else?" Their conversation had been short, sharp and slightly awkward. But at least the past had been buried, until Cloud had to drag it out of the earth again.

"Zack...About this morning..."

"It's alright Cloud", Zack said giving him a reassuring smile, "I feel the same".

Ice blue eyes widened in shock, and Zack almost laughed-it was one of the first emotions he had seen on Cloud's face in a long time. "You do...?" His reply was so quiet, if Zack did not have mako heightened senses, he swore he wouldn't of heard it.

"Yeah, sure, since SOLDIER".

The laidback, easygoing way that Zack had said that made Cloud find it hard to choose between punching him and kissing him.

"Well it's about time, asshole".

Zack laughed, and the two turned to face the sinking red sun. Side by side, their friendship, and much more and been renewed. Cloud felt like he had emerged from his period of darkness and mourning, out of the chrysalis, and spread his wings, reborn. The two stood together in a companionable silence, the new angels of Midgar, watching over the city as the sun began to merge with the horizon.

**TADA END.**

**YAY no more cloudxzack bwah. Done. Finished. Finito.**

**Unless you wants moar...?**

**x**


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